Agenda and minutes

None were received.

To confirm the minutes of the meetings held on 12 March and 18 May 2015 as correct records.

RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meetings held on 12 March and 18 May 2015 be signed by the Chairman as correct records.

To note any declarations of interest made by members in connection with an agenda item.  The nature of the interest must also be specified.

Members are asked to discuss any possible interests with Democratic Services prior to the meeting.

Cllr Blunden disclosed a non-pecuniary interest in Agenda Item 5 (Chinese Lanterns) on the grounds that he was a member of New Milton Town Council which had already decided to ban the use of Chinese lanterns on its land.  He concluded that he could retain an open mind regarding any decision with respect to this Council’s responsibilities and consequently there were no grounds under common law to prevent him from taking part in the consideration or voting.

To note any issues raised during the public participation period.

There were no issues raised in the public participation period.

To receive an oral update from the Portfolio Holders for the Environment and for Planning and Transportation.

Cllr Beeton, the Environment Portfolio Holder, advised the Panel that the Council was in the process of appointing the consultant to carry out the design work, submit the planning application and project manage the replacement beach huts at Milford on Sea, having interviewed 6 potential consultancies.  Demolition and site clearance was now underway and should be completed before the summer season.  The licence holders had all been contacted and 117 of the 119 current licence holders had indicated that they wished to take up the new licences that would be on offer.

The Panel welcomed the progress being made.

To appoint 3 Members to serve on a task and finish working group, jointly with 3 members of the General Purposes and Licensing Committee to look at the licensing perspectives of the question raised by Councillor Bennison at the meeting of the Council held on 23 February 2015 (Minute 51 refers).

To consider measures that the Council could take to further discourage the use or release of sky lanterns, including the use of conditions when granting licenses.

Cllr Blunden disclosed a non-pecuniary interest on the grounds that he was a member of New Milton Town Council which had already decided to ban the use of Chinese lanterns on its land.  He concluded that he could retain an open mind regarding any decision with respect to this Council’s responsibilities and consequently there were no grounds under common law to prevent him from taking part in the consideration or voting.

The Panel considered the proposal to appoint 3 members to serve on a joint task and finish working group, together with representatives from the General Purposes and Licensing Committee to look at the licensing perspectives of the question raised by Cllr Bennison in respect of Chinese Lanterns at the meeting of the Council held on 23 February 2015 (Minute 51 refers).  The Group would consider measures that the Council could take to further discourage the use or release of sky lanterns, including the use of conditions when granting licences.

The Panel recognised that this could be a substantial piece of work, addressing an issue which was of great concern in the Forest where there were many vulnerabilities to the effects of these lanterns, particularly from the fire risk and the risk to animals ingesting the frames of the lanterns.

RESOLVED:

That Councillors Bennison, Ford and Thorne be appointed to serve on the task and finish working group.

To receive presentations from Service Heads, to include key issues of current interest and, in the light of that information, to develop the Panel’s work programme for the coming months.

The Panel received presentations which set out the key areas of activity of each service that reported to the Panel and highlighted those topics that should be considered for inclusion in the Panel’s work programme over the coming months.

The list of potential work items below was agreed and the officers were authorised to draw this together into the Panel’s programme of meetings in the most effective way.

To appoint those task and finish working groups that the review of the work programme identifies are needed. 

The Coastal Issues Working Group has already been identified as being needed to continue work that was started under the last administration.

The Panel considered the appointment of various task and finish working groups to progress their developing work programme.  They noted that several groups, appointed during the previous administration, had not yet completed their task.  It was agreed that those Councillors who had previously served on each of these task and finish groups should be offered the opportunity to continue, to complete the work, so that their expertise in these subject areas would not be lost.  Additional appointments would be made to fill vacancies.

RESOLVED:

That the following task and finish working groups be appointed with the following memberships:

(i)               Partnership Funding for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management

Existing members:  Cllrs Clarke, Glass, Rostand and Wappet

New Members:  Cllrs Carpenter, Blunden and Olliff-Cooper.

(ii)             Burial Space supply and Provision

Existing members:  Cllrs Glass and Rostand

New Members:  Cllrs Armstrong, Ford and Thorne

(iii)           Kerbside Collection of Glass – text alert and promotion

Existing members:  Cllrs Bellows, Bennison, Ford

New Members:  Cllrs Carpenter and Poole

(iv)           Parking Meter Procurement, including payment options

Existing Councillors:  Cllrs Beck, Clarke and Glass

New Councillors:   Cllrs Carpenter and Poole

(v)             Nuisance Policy and Enforcement Prioritisation

Cllrs Bellows, Bennison and Ford together with 2 members from the Community Overview and Scrutiny Panel.